Mounting for display brackets



March 20, 1962 J. MCLEAN MOUNTING FOR DISPLAY BRACKETS Filed May 19, 1955 tates Uni This invention relates to a mounting for display brackets, and is particularly concerned with a panel structure having inconspicuous gaps between adjacent panels with bracket supporting means substantially concealed within said gaps.

The panels may be parallel to an adjacent wall, or may be arranged in the center of a room with brackets projecting from either one or both faces of the panel structure. The bracket supporting means comprises a pair of metal strips having a plurality of metal disks welded to said strips and extending transversely therebetween. The thickness of each disk is equal to the thickness of a bracket to be mounted between the metal strips, so that the metal strips cooperate to give the brackets lateral stability when they are mounted in place. The disks are spaced vertically, and any two adjacent disks are adapted to engage the top and bottom edges of the hook-shaped rear end of a bracket to support it firmly with its forward end projecting outwardly from the metal strips. The brackets are designed so that their upper and lower edges each lie in the horizontal plane extending through the center of the contiguous disk. Accordingly, a disk which engages the lower edge of a bracket extending in one direction may also engage the upper edge of another bracket extending in the opposite direction when the panel structure has openings on both faces. The bracket supporting strip is preferably secured to an upright which is concealed by the panel structure.

A modified embodiment of the invention provides a double row of disks to permit mounting of brackets extending in opposite directions at the same levels. In this embodiment the brackets are designed so that the portion of the hook-shaped rear end extending rearwardly of the disks against which it abuts terminates at the mid-point between the two disks at the same horizontal level.

The structure by which the above mentioned and other advantages of the invention are attained will be described in the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing a preferred illustrative embodiment of the invention, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a pair of panels extending at right angles to a supporting wall, with brackets extending outwardly from the panels;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a mounting showing the means for securing it at right angles to a supporting wall;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a mounting, with parts broken away to show brackets extending in opposite directions;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a mounting showing the means for supporting it between a double panel structure; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view, with parts broken away to show brackets extending in opposite directions at the same level.

In the drawings, the reference numerals 2 and 3 indicate a pair of metal strips arranged in parallel spaced relationship. The metal strips are spaced by a plurality of flat metal disks 4 interposed therebetween and welded to said strips with the flat surfaces of the disks abutting the inner surfaces of the metal strips. Disks 4 are uniformly spaced vertically of the strips. Each disk has the same thickness as the display brackets 5 which are to be supported in the 3,025,971 igfi Patented Mar. 20, 1962 mounting, so that such brackets are supported laterally by metal strips 2 and 3.

Each bracket 5 is provided with a hook-shaped rear end 6 adapted to be inserted between any two adjacent disks 4. The upper edge of rear end 6 is curved upwardly, as indicated at 7, to conform to the periphery of disk 4. The lower edge of the rear end 6 is curved upwardly, as indicated at 8, to conform also to the periphery of disk 4, and then sweeps upwardly to provide a flat upper edge surface 9 rearwardly of the curved surface 7. When rear end 6 of a bracket 5 is inserted between two adjacent disk-s 4, the flat surface 9 is aligned horizontally with the center of the upper disk, and the lower surface of the bracket is aligned with the center of the lower disk. Accordingly, when two brackets are positioned between adjacent disks with their forward ends extending in opposite directions, as shown in FIG. 3, the flat upper edge surface 9 of the lower bracket abuts the lower surface 10 of the upper bracket. Since each bracket must be pivoted upwardly to be removed from the mounting, neither bracket interferes with the removal of the other.

In order to support a mounting adjacent a wall 11 an upright 12 is secured to the wall in any suitable manner, and screws 13 are passed through apertures provided therefor in strips 2 and 3 and screwed into the upright. Preferably another upright 14 is positioned adjacent the metal strip remote from upright 12, and screws 13 are long enough to pass through upright 14 as well as through the mounting. The depth of upright 14 is preferably slightly less than that of strips 2 and 3 to provide an offset.

A panel 15 is positioned with one edge abutting strip 2 and is secured in any suitable manner. The rear edge surface of panel 15 adjacent strip 2 abuts the front edge of upright 14 and the front surface of the panel is flush with the front edge of strips 2 and '3. When the display structure is visible on both sides, a panel 16, similar to panel 15, is secured in the same manner to the back side of the mounting. Accordingly, uprights 14 are concealed by the panels and the only structure visible between panels is the edges of the metal strips. These edges are relatively thin and the gaps between them are so small that the panels appears to have a continuous surface extending across the entire display structure. If the display structure is parallel to a wall in such close relationship that only one surface of the structure is to be used for display purposes, panels 16 may be omitted.

Panels 15 are positioned in side by side relationship to build a display structure of any desired length. Uprights 14 are positioned adjacent opposite sides of each mounting and the mountings are secured between said uprights by bolts 17, or similar fastening means. The bolt 17 is positioned below the lowermost disk 4 so that it will not interfere with positioning a display bracket between any two adjacent disks. A similar bolt is positioned above the uppermost disk. It is possible to support each mounting with a single upright 14, but two are preferred because they also support the edges of panels 15 and 16. As shown in FIG. 5, each upright 14 may be supported by a bracket 18 secured to the floor and to the lower portion of the upright.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 the structure is essentially the same as previously described, and the same reference numerals indicate identical structure. The metal strips 19 and 20 are similar to strips 2 and 3, but are provided with two rows of disks 4 instead of a single row as in the other embodiment. The lateral spacing between disks 4 is sufficient to permit the upper edge portions 9 of two display brackets to fit therebetween, thus allowing brackets 5 to extend outwardly in opposite directions at the same level. The abutment of the rear edges of the two brackets does not interfere with the insertion or removal of either bracket from the mounting.

Although I have described two preferred embodiments of my invention in considerable detail, it will be understood that the description thereof is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, as many details of the structure may be modified or changed Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, I do not desire to be restricted to the exact construction described.

I claim:

A mounting for display brackets comprising a pair of metal strips, two parallel rows of metal disks interposed between said strips and welded thereto, the disks of each row being spaced vertically at uniform intervals to support display brackets having their rear end portions inserted between adjacent disks of either row, and extending rearwardly of said disks, each of said disks having its outer edge shaped to conform to the curvature of the por- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 404,004 Hovey May 28, 1889 595,064 Her-bst Dec. 7, 1897 925,677 Belcher June 22, 1909 2,245,944 Vanderveld June 17, 1941 2,263,282 Welch et a1 Nov. 18, 1941 2,677,519 Hobson May 4, 1954 2,693,884 Gurries Nov. 9, 1954 2,756,464 Clements July 31, 1956 

